Menus for bicycle trip

[pbleadholm]

Hi, I am a newbe. Have a group of Boy scouts (ages 14 - 18) planning a  250 mile bike trip this summer (June).  Starting in Wyoming and end in Utah. Looking for menus suitable for bicyclers. We will have a trail vehicle to carry tents, food, stove, etc. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[kemmett]

A good snack for your boys would be Clif bars.  They are high in protein and have a decent amount of carbs per serving and are also easy to transport.  As for meals, again anything with a good amount of carbs would be a good idea.  Noodles, pasta, etc.  Plenty of water and try to stay away from drinks high in sugar as they will eventually cause dehydration.  I know that's not a wealth of information, but if you need further advice, please let me know.

[raybo]

This page has 19 links to information about food and food preparation (including menus).

Not all of them will be of interest to you but you will find many of them useful.

Ray

[geegee]

Since you have a support vehicle, I don't think you have to worry much about the menu. It really becomes more of an issue for self-supported tours when carrying weight and equipment play a big role. With a group like that, you'll probably need to prepare a good quantity of food at a time, so pick foods that are not fussy to prepare, like Mac and cheese, spaghetti, or chili, or pack a barbecue grill/griddle for burgers and pancakes.

[johnsondasw]

I love spaghetti.  We would buy the meat daily in a store around dinner time and have it almost every night.  It has turned out to be my favorite on the tour dinner.  For breakfast, I have oatmeal with peanut butter, nuts, raisins, other fruit, etc every day.  It's always good for about 25-30 miles.
For lunch, rolls, PB&J, cheese, tuna, sardines....You get the idea.

[Westinghouse]

Boil water and mix it with oatmeal so it is a dense paste, not watery. Mix in raisins to taste, and slice in a banana. Top it off with your favorite flavor of yogurt. It is wholesome, natural, healthful, very inexpensive, tasty, and has energy. Yum yum yum.

[DaveB]

Keep in mind that food that sounds good to adults is very likely to have problems appealing to teenagers, particualrly the younger ones.  The larger your group, the more likely you are to have problems pleasing even most of them, to say nothing of all of them. 

[johnsondasw]

On the other hand, they'll be very hungry most of the time, and will eat what is served.  As a school teacher of 29 years, I've seen the damage done to a whole generation of kids by the families/society trying to custom please and coddle the hell out of kids.  I grew up one of six, and we ate what was served.  Then in Army basic training, you certainbly didn't complain about the food!  So I say make up healthy meals and, if you serve it, they will eat.  If not, there's lessons for them in the logical consequences thereof!

[bogiesan]

Hi, I am a newbe. Have a group of Boy scouts (ages 14 - 18) planning a  250 mile bike trip this summer (June).  Starting in Wyoming and end in Utah. Looking for menus suitable for bicyclers. We will have a trail vehicle to carry tents, food, stove, etc. Any suggestions? Thanks.

If you are a scout leader, you have already everything you need in the literature and in the experience of the organization. You need nothing that is bicycle specific for a mere 250 miles (two days, three?) supported with a sag vehicle. You only need 9 meals for each participant and there will be stores along the route for the sag driver to restock.
You only need only worry about keeping your perishables on ice.

If they were carrying their own gear this would be a completely different discussion.

david boise ID

[biker_james]

I would expect it to be more than 2 days-more likely given the ages of the kids to be 5-8 days, as I doubt they are used to doing many miles per day, and I'm sure that the trips goal is more than jsut sitting in the saddle 10 hours a day.
In terms of menu, with teenagers I think I'd go with something they'd like, and make LOTS of it.

[DaveB]

On the other hand, they'll be very hungry most of the time, and will eat what is served.  As a school teacher of 29 years, I've seen the damage done to a whole generation of kids by the families/society trying to custom please and coddle the hell out of kids.  I grew up one of six, and we ate what was served.  Then in Army basic training, you certainbly didn't complain about the food!  So I say make up healthy meals and, if you serve it, they will eat.  If not, there's lessons for them in the logical consequences thereof!

There is merit to this approach.  Sort of;  "Here's what's to eat.  Eat it or don't but that's all there is."  As long as you choose foods that have relatively broad appeal, that will simplify the task. 

[cyclebum]

On the other hand, they'll be very hungry most of the time, and will eat what is served.  As a school teacher of 29 years, I've seen the damage done to a whole generation of kids by the families/society trying to custom please and coddle the hell out of kids.  I grew up one of six, and we ate what was served.  Then in Army basic training, you certainbly didn't complain about the food!  So I say make up healthy meals and, if you serve it, they will eat.  If not, there's lessons for them in the logical consequences thereof!

Well said!

[MrBent]

Bogie--you crack me up!  2--3 days for 14 yr-olds for 250  miles?  I think your own strength has warped your vision    Probably  more like 5 days, maybe more.  Actually, I'm taking a 14 year-old out on a tour in a couple of weeks, and I'll be keeping the miles under 50 per day, but that will be self-supported and with many mountain passes.

I'll be doing the usual: pasta, pb+j's, fruit, nuts, canned fish, etc.  I found in my cross country ride in 07 that I usually did pasta with fish and whatever veggies I could dig up.  I carried some Parmesan, olive oil, spices, and I ate it up.  Working hard in the saddle made any half-way decent food pure ambrosia.  After the first month, I swear both legs were hollow.  I could hardly eat enough--amazing.

One key point, whatever you serve:  Have more than you think you'll need!

Have a great adventure.

Scott